The Trouble with Hades

Chapter 35

My father was standing behind Galeth to his side, giving me a wide-eyed nod, suggesting that I should say yes. Anzide shifted to face me, pulling weird faces like he thought I'd understand. Even Benicio was acting odd.

"You're all making faces and nodding at me like I should accept this but fail to remember that I've just endured an attack where another one of his kind wanted me to agree to something. Captain Pervs-a-lot even has the same hovering crown as Belial."

Galeth frowned at me.

"That is a fair point," Carsten responded.

"And one that I understand completely. You're still distressed, you're unsure of me and everything that I represent, and of course, the doctor who should be checking you hasn't shown his face yet. Benicio, would you mind finding a group of soldiers and asking them to search the cupboards?"

Benicio nodded before walking out of the room.

"This offer is not going to expire, Evelyn. We want you to take the offer under your own terms where you can negotiate many aspects of your life in the Hallowed Halls. If you refuse, then we will set the terms with minor allowances because we do not know what you truly desire. It is an offer that, essentially, you cannot refuse. The reality of your situation is that you can't be left to roam around with these powers that will continue to grow. You've created and cast two spells on your own and we know of your efforts on Earth and in the sparring room. Now that you've turned eighteen, your skills are growing and we cannot sit back and do nothing. We will give you a day to decide on your terms. In twenty-four hours, we will expect an answer from you."

The door opened, and Benicio returned with a doctor who looked a little ruffled. Galeth nodded and walked out of the room with the soldiers who had found the doctor. He pulled the curtain halfway around.

"Mother has a bee in her bonnet." the doctor muttered. "Benicio hasn't sent his report because of interruptions, and this poor old doctor was knocked out and stuffed into a cleaning closet. The portal is pure chaos and your father has been ordered to remain at your side until everything is dealt with which means that she's down one being that would ordinarily be tasked with many important jobs. If you would lay down please, then I can check everything and tick one of the items off Mother's list."

Once I'd laid down, the doctor poked around my stomach, asking if I felt any discomfort. The door opened again, and a nurse wheeled in a trolley stacked with equipment. Anzide moved to the other side of the bed.

"We're just going to check what's going on in there."

My stomach was slathered in goop, and the nurse ran the wand over the skin. The sound of her heart echoed through the room. After everything that has happened, it was the greatest sound in the world. It sounded healthy.

Stopping, the nurse turned the screen.

"There's the baby. Did you want to know the gender?"

"We know it's a girl. The vampire side of my family always has girls first."

The nurse looked at me and then at Anzide.

"It's not a girl?"

She shook her head and moved the wand to show us that we were having a boy.

"Trust you to be different," Anzide said with a chuckle.

"I thought you could see her."

"I thought that too. Guess I was wrong."

"Oh," the nurse said softly. "Maybe that's why."

We turned back to the screen. She offered a cheesy grin as she pointed to the second baby.